Chapter 15 Yiran #2
piercings and tattoos. Uniforms were mandatory at the Academy, and Ash had said it was because the special fabric worked with
the cadets’ spiritual energy. But apparently it was up to the cadet how they chose to wear it, and it seemed like they took their fashion seriously. Everyone wanted to stand out. It made Yiran look
stuffy and out of place with his gelled-back hair and neatly pressed baby-blue dress shirt and dark gray pants. He couldn’t
wait to get his uniform.
In between classes, the cadets practiced their spell casting and sparring in hallways and open spaces with wanton disregard
of passersby. After dodging yet another sword thrust too closely as he walked by, Yiran decided that either this was good
reflex training or perhaps everyone was testing his mettle.
He was glad the Academy had decided to fast-track him. His schedule accommodated one-on-one foundational and remedial classes,
so he didn’t have to sit in a room full of first-years, and he was able to observe the top senior class when they trained. In time, if he proved himself, he could train with them too. The box-dyed redhead was wrong—some people didn’t have to start from the bottom. But Yiran also knew this privilege
would be frowned upon by his peers. Still, he needed all the help he could get.
His first-day lectures flew by quickly. The professors were pleasant, if a little miffed they had to reteach their introductory classes to a single student.
He ate a late lunch with a senior professor, feigning interest in the man’s dull research in case he was somehow useful in the future.
After a day of dealing with adults, Yiran was looking forward to finally meeting people his age.
It would be his first time observing the top senior class and their physical training.
He headed north of the main gates past the assembly courtyard and bookstore. As he strolled, a bunch of freshmen at one of
the designated study areas stared blatantly at him. Thank gods he didn’t have classes with these tiny children. He lobbed
them a smile. One of the girls giggled, and her bespectacled friend smacked her with a notebook.
It seemed like everyone knew who he was, and everyone was curious.
A modern structure of metal and glass shaped like a seashell rested on top of a small hill. It didn’t look like any other
building on campus. Yiran scanned his palm by the entrance and walked in. He was early, and it was quiet and empty inside.
He went down the glass-paneled hallway to a set of lockers, chucking his bag in one of them. The well-stocked vending machine
caught his interest, and he got a mocha frappé to perk himself up. Drink in hand, he approached an unmarked door at the end
of the hallway.
A beam of red light flashed across his body, and the door slid open without a sound. The room was enormous. A single touch
screen hung on the panel by the door next to a complicated-looking machine with a keyboard and several buttons and knobs.
He was about to nose around when an all-too-familiar voice said, “What the hell are you doing here?”
Yiran turned. He hadn’t noticed the petite girl standing in another corner of the room when he came in. She was stretching
in her athletic gear, looking irritated by his presence. What luck. Rui just had to be in the senior class he was assigned to observe.
She raised her eyebrows at his clothes. “That designer shirt and those expensive shoes on your first day of school?”
“I don’t have my uniforms yet.”
“Doesn’t excuse the shoes. Heard you drove one of your fancy cars.”
“For convenience.”
“Embarrassing.”
“It won’t be embarrassing when you’re feeling hungry in the middle of the night and you want some soup dumplings from Laodifang.”
Yiran winked. “You know who to call.”
“You’re not here on vacation, you’re here to train. This isn’t fun and games, not when lives are at stake,” Rui said, emphasizing
her displeasure with her hands. “You can’t zip in and out of campus whenever you want. There are rules. Go read your student
handbook.”
“Has anyone ever told you how bossy you are?”
She gave him a funny look. “Zizi says that all the time.”
You hold something of hers, something that doesn’t naturally belong to you.
Yiran lowered his voice. “Speaking of Zizi, has he figured out a way to . . .”
Rui shook her head. “You’d be the second person to know if he did.”
Hiding his relief, Yiran joked, “Guess he’s busy pulling rabbits out of his pajamas or dancing in the rain while eating chicken
wings.”
“Sushi.”
“Huh?”
“He likes sushi.”
“I guess you’d know. You two are close, aren’t you? How did you meet?”
“What are you doing here anyway?” Rui said, ignoring his questions. “Did you get lost?”
“I have permission to sit in for trainings with this class.”
“But we’re seniors—the top seniors.”
She sounded indignant. Flattery might be the way to soothe her. “Then I’m sure it’ll be enlightening for me. You’re the strongest,
the best cadet. There’s a lot I can learn from you,” he said.
“I was the strongest,” Rui said, her eyes downcast, “and I can’t be the best unless I get my magic back.”
“Any idea when that will be?”
“Why don’t you ask Zizi yourself? Didn’t you exchange numbers or something? I saw you whispering together before you left
his shophouse.”
There was a curious expression on her face, mingled with something else Yiran couldn’t decipher at first. It felt like jealousy. He couldn’t explain it, but he could sense her emotions when he was near her, like they were telegraphed directly
to him. Was this the connection Zizi was talking about? Did it mean Rui could read Yiran?
“I think the only person the wizard cares about is you,” he said.
Surprise registered on Rui’s face. She distanced herself from him, her expression suspicious, like she was feeling the empathic
link between them too.
The door slid open.
Several cadets filed noisily in. One of them, a girl with smudged black eyeliner and bright pink hair, was talking about going
to the karaoke club. She stopped in midsentence when she noticed him.
“Oh, it’s you.”
The other seniors sized him up.
Yiran had come prepared. He’d sat Ash down and made him describe every senior cadet he mentored. Yiran recognized some of
them now.
The pastel goth was Ada Senai, daughter of Commissioner Senai—the man who had helped Yiran avoid juvenile court. She was also
Rui’s best friend, and Yiran was intent on staying on her good side. Then there was Mai Lang, a tanned long-limbed girl who
came from a family of Exorcists. She had an uncle who was influential in the city. Yiran glossed over a few others until he
found the person he wanted to meet.
Teshin Mak.
Resident weapons expert, graduating senior, and the new vice president of the Student Council. Most importantly, Teshin was one of the heirs to the Mak clan. The Maks were famous in Exorcist circles; the best weapons were forged and restored by them.
Rui’s dual swords were bound to her and her magic. Even if she did let Yiran use them, everyone would know the source of his newfound magic. There was no legitimacy in that. Yiran had to find another way. If the Maks were as good as they say, maybe
they could forge a different kind of weapon for him.
Teshin appeared stern, with golden-brown skin and intense brown eyes to match. Both sides of their head were shaved to expose
a tattoo of two halves of a circle, broken by a line. The Mak clan’s crest. They were looking at Yiran with open interest.
Yiran smiled. He had to find a way to get close to them.
But Teshin wasn’t the only one evaluating Yiran. Mai stared boldly, whipping her pin-straight hair back. She had an overwhelming
aura of confidence.
“Did anyone know Song Yiran was joining us today?” she asked in a husky voice.
A chorus of nos came from the rest.
“There’s no training today,” Ada told Yiran. “The Exorcist who’s supposed to be here can’t make it. We’re just going to mess
around and practice drills.”
Yiran shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll learn something by observing you.”
“Suit yourself.” She gave him a surprisingly sincere smile.
Mai sidled over, her smile the opposite of Ada’s. “Since we’re doing our own thing today, maybe you should participate. Have
a sparring session with one of us or something.”
“Yeah, go for it,” said another cadet. A couple of others voiced their agreement.
Yiran demurred. “I’m here to watch . . . It’s only my first day.”
“Aww, come on, do it for funsies,” said Mai. “I heard you were vice captain of the fencing team at your old school.”
Seemed like he wasn’t the only one who’d done his research.
“Let’s have a duel. We can start the Simulator and use dummy weapons. Unless . . .” Mai cocked her head, peering up at him through her thick eyelashes. “Unless you’re afraid of getting your ass kicked?”
“I’ll do it,” Yiran’s mouth said before his brain registered. Dammit. He’d wanted to stay out of trouble on his first day.
Mai clapped her hands. “Awesome! Rui will fight you.”
“I will what?” Rui snorted.
“Seems only fitting if our best shows him what we’re made of.”
“Rui is still recovering,” Ada said, looking worried, “and we’re not supposed to use the Simulator without a trainer here.”
“I’ve worked the machine dozens of times,” said Mai. “It’ll be fine.”
“It’s okay, Ada. Mai knows the programs,” Rui said. Rolling her shoulders, she lifted her chin at Yiran. “I’m done stretching
and warming up anyway. I’ll take him.”
Yiran had a bad feeling about this, but it was too late to back out now. His pride was on the line. Go big or go home. He put his mocha frappé down and moved to the middle of the room. Everyone else but Rui and Mai went to the bench on the
side.
Mai typed a string of rapid commands on the control panel. Spinning around, she grinned widely.
“Welcome to the Simulator.”
For a split second, the place seemed to contract.
Then it heaved and burst into sunlight. Tall rock formations littered the landscape. The floor was dirt and sand. The ceiling,
blue sky.